We're home...........

Back in the USA.......The best part~ My bed............:))
We arrived home on Monday morning at Cleveland airport greeted by many friends and family members. It was so nice to see so many of you that early in the morning! Thanks!
Leaving the airport in our friends van (Bob and Lois Ferrel)......we were welcomed inside their van with photo's everywhere of our time in Brazil as a new family. Streamers, pictures, presents, American flags, etc....with also a beverage selection and snacks! That Lois~ She really knows how to make things special! Thanks guys!
Upon arriving to our house we were greeted with many signs welcoming the "Gouge Family" home and welcoming Donei HOME. From what I hear we had around 60 people at our house to welcome us home and of course with more food than you could imagine! Thank you again to everyone who came and brought food.
Donei is doing well for the most part. He is a bit overwhelmed with everything and we are trying to take things as slowly as we can for him. He has been very gracious and kind to everyone who wants to hug him :)) But there has been a lot of hugs.
Today was a bit more difficult for him as we have needed to move forward by getting him registered with school. He will be attending GlenOak High School in the 9th grade for now. We wish we didn't have to think about school already but  since school has started we are forced to have to move in that direction. He wants to play soccer (and other sports) so we feel putting into public school right now is what is best for him. Plus they have the resources he needs to help him better than homeschooling or private schooling. Please pray for his adjustment that things would go quickly and he would start feeling not so homesick for Brazil.
He has been invited by the soccer coach at GlenOak to practice with the team tomorrow and Donei seems to have been excited about that part. He hasn't been able to play soccer for several weeks now since our constant moving around Brazil to get back.
Tonight we are taking Donei to a soccer game at GlenOak to watch the team play a game. They are playing Jackson High School tonight so it should be a really good game! I hope this helps him not feel so sad. As a mother it just really breaks my heart that he has to go through this adjustment phase......but there is really no other way to get around it. I remember growing up how hard it was every time we had to move and I had to start at another school. Five schools I went to through my school years. It was very hard on me, especially once I reached 9th grade. I didn't have to change countries though only states! So I can only imagine how difficult starting school can be. Of course we all know that within time it will be fine and ultimately what is best for him. Still hard to see him going through the painful stages.
Steve has been teaching Donei how to play the drums today and he has been down stairs practicing for quite awhile now.....good therapy and stress reliever! :)

Doesn't this picture just represent our journey......

What a great day today in Rio de Janeiro! We took a 8 hour tour to see the highlights of Rio. The views were breath taking and very worth the money we spent to see Rio. Donei has turned into our little photographer when going places. He really likes taking pictures and maybe he'll take a photography class at school.

First Day at the Beach/Ocean

We are sitting here in a internet shop because we are having so much trouble with our hotel internet.
Yesterday we made our last stop for the Adoption paperwork at the US Consulate to pick up Donei's passport and Visa. WE ARE DONE with all the paperwork finally!
We then spent the day on the Copacabana Beach. Donei has never been the beach or the Ocean. He loved it (who wouldn't!) He kept asking his Dad to go back out in the water with him all day. The weather is great here. We did have to "warn" or prepare Donei for what might appear on the beach.........there were definitely some thongs!!!!!!!!!! But thank goodness no topless! I think I was the only person in Rio in a one piece bathing suit (with a wrap) :)) I guess these people just don't care what they look like!
We took Donei to the "Outback Steak House" last night for dinner. Again, a first experience with ordering a steak from the menu~! I think it was a little overwhelming for him to be honest, but he ordered a Ribeye and ate all of it, plus cheesy fries appetizers, followed by one of my ribs and chicken breast. Then he had a huge dessert!!!!! This boy can eat! He has definitely put on some pounds since we have arrived in Brazil!
When we were in Curitiba still we went to the Mall and wanted to get dessert. Donei and I decided to go to the "Chocolate Fountain" where they will pour warm chocolate on top of your choice of fruit or other items. So Donei, who absolutely LOVES white chocolate got a bowl of grapes and poured warm white chocolate all over them. As we were eating we were telling him that we had a chocolate fountain at home and we would get the fountain working with warm chocolate and then would sit around the table and dip strawberries, bananas, pretzels, etc.....in it and eat and eat!!!! He laughed and didn't believe us and then when we had finally convinced him that we were telling the truth he said, "Oh no....I'm gonna get so fat!!!!!!" It was pretty funny!
Last two days in Rio and then we are headed home!

Just like home......of course we never eat Domino's back home but sure enjoyed it now. Donei liked it too!

Father and Son........relaxing...

On top of Sugar Loaf Mountain

The Soccer Stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup

And of course the world known statue of  Christ over looking Rio

We made it to Rio!

Hello Everyone! So thankful we have internet while we are here in Rio. We had a rough couple of days upon arriving in Rio............but praise God we are settled now and having a wonderful time!
Tuesday after leaving our hotel in Curitiba we arrived at the airport (with plenty of time...hahaha) to find out during our check in that they had rescheduled our flight to Rio~ Since my email has been down for almost a month now, I never received a notice from our travel agent stating the change. Why would I think to check on it??? Anyways, we are at the counter to check in at 6:15pm thinking we have plenty of time to find out that our flight had been rescheduled for 640pm instead of 832pm. Needless to say, we arrived at the gate as they were calling "last call" for boarding. It was a pretty quick flight to Rio and being Donei's first flight ever it went very smooth. He loved flying for the most part. He experienced some ear pressure while landing that was pretty intense so we will be giving him ear plugs next time.
We arrived in Rio before 9pm and called for our taxi that was arranged already by the apartment manager we were staying at. Since we arrived earlier than expected, we had to wait for about an hour. When our driver showed up~ He was surprised by the amount of luggage we had and he had to end up calling another driver to help pick us up, so we waited again another half hour. Did they not assume we would be traveling WITH luggage?? Finally after arriving to our apartment that has been arranged by Lino, we were a little taken back by the "appearance" of the apartment and location. Here we are in a foreign country, no cell phone, no internet, told by Lino there was NOTHING else available in Rio in the Copacabana Beach area because there was a Brasil holiday this weekend, so we had no other options being 1130pm.
The apartment building was very old, run down, smelly, and had bugs............In order to take a shower~ You had to light this tank with a match to get the shower hot before showering. Trust me~ We have stayed in some pretty rough places over the years as we've been on many mission trips but here we are now in Rio and we are miserable! Many of you know Steve and how "cheap" he can be.....:) well the next day I spent several hours on the internet searching for something else in Rio. Long story short~ We found a hotel and off we were to pack and get the heck out of the bug infested, pee smelling apartment!!!!
We have a whole new attitude now and have enjoyed Rio!
Internet is challenging here in the hotel but we have it!
Today we are going on a tour called "Rio in a day" to see all the tourist attractions of Rio.
Sorry no pictures today~ Lucky to just get this out! Please excuse my spelling & grammar errors....doing this quickly before we loose internet connection again!
3 more days until USA!